There are so many things that i wish i were better at, and one of them is punctuation. No doubt the previous sentence could use much better constuction. But, be that as it may, I write anyway --- often wishing I could better remember the rules (if I ever learned them correctly in the first place) or could instantly see alternate suggestions that could express the same thought better than I do.
The problem with striving for perfection in this (or in anything) is that the effort to be perfect in whatever one might attempt can be crippling. Perfectionists often get less done than those who simply do their best and accept their limitations.. That's not to say that we shouldn't try for excellence. Certainly we should. And, even though I am keenly aware that my efforts in this medium are far from perfect, and I wish I had the talent to communicate better, at least once in a while I find the courage to hit "publish" button anyway -- as I intend to do with this little post.
Maybe if I knew that The National Punctuation Day website existed before this, more of the unpublished posts I have written would have actually appeared.
Just as Spellcheck can actually be a great learning tool and make the user a better speller, so could a really good punctuation tool help anyone write more clearly and convincingly. The trouble that learning anything new or developing better competency in any effort takes time. But it is worth it. Learning is fun. Learning anything new or learning to do anything better is good for the brain.
As of midnight last night, DADT is over. Finally, more people in the military will be able to be honest about who they are.
Like many around the world and in this country, my feelings and beliefs about sexual orientation have evolved in many ways. Little did I know that there must have been a number of people all around me who didn't feel safe about revealing essential aspects of themselves. Most had to hide who they were from almost everybody. Not only did they have to conceal so much of themselves, but they must have lived with a constant fear that they would be "outed" by someone else.
It's not that getting rid of DADT will make everything better, but it is a step forward in extending civil rights to a distinct minority of our citizens. I have no illusions that the fight is over. There is still is a lot of bigotry out there. Unfortunately few of us are completely free of this terrible aspect. We all must be alert and search our hearts to see how we must change.
I have a fear that the "churches of hate" around our country and around the world who have been so vocal about this subject will now move into a higher gear and increase their rhetoric to condemn what they consider as deviant behavior. They are very good at inducing fear in people about the "other". It always seems so sad to me that so many churches preach about an "other" who is to blame for every ill and catastropy. There is always an enemy in their book.
This makes me sad because I believe with all my heart that there really is no Other. It isn't "us" or "them". It is "we". The truth is that We Are All One.
So tonight, while I am feeling so very glad about this small victory for equality, to combat my fear, I am drawing an ever increasing and welcoming Circle of Light within my heart. This is circle of inclusion. The borders of my circle are flexible and pliable, and not so completely solid as to keep anyone out. Everyone is In. Even those who violently disagree with me and my opinions are not out. In my circle, All are In the Light.
Out of many, we are one!
One thing I believe more firmly than almost anything else is that everything that is, is connected. In truth, we are not separate from anyone else. Whether we like it not, no matter what appearances might seem to be, there is no us and them. It is We.
As a nation, As a people, As part of the Human Race, to move forward, we must work together to do what needs to be done.
No matter how much we disagree, we still must pull together to accomplish the great tasks ahead. We are not separate from one another, nor are we separate from the universe. All is truly One.
If a child in Somalia dies from hunger, we are all affected, even though we may not see the connection at the time. If a star goes Super Nova, I have no doubt that there is an affect everywhere, even if the affect is so subtle that we cannot perceive it with our limited human understanding.
There can be peace. There can be harmony. We don't have to get caught up in the drama and the controversies. In oneness, we can accomplish anything. Lets do it..